6 THE TIMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010 (3) Darussalam national day Key agreements enrich ties with Japan

Mohamad Alias Serbini that is increasingly competitive trade ties have long been estab- the Brunei Methanol Co. Sdn. the aim of providing alterna- AMBASSADOR OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM TO and knowledge-based. lished over the span of more Bhd, (BMC) is the latest joint tive energy resources in the JAPAN The Double Taxation Avoid- than 30 years, dating back to venture inked between Mi- country toward sustainable ------ance Agreement (DTAA), the first liquefied natural gas tsubishi Gas Chemical of Ja- development efforts. On the auspicious occasion of which entered into force at the shipment from Brunei Darus- pan, Itochu Corp. of Japan Last year was of significant our 26th National Day, it gives end of last year, lays the foun- salam to Japan in 1972. Since and PetroleumBRUNEI. It is importance as we marked the me great pleasure and honor dation for the prevention of dou- then, Brunei Darussalam has considered to be a success of the establish- to convey, on ble taxation on income by com- been continuously and steadily story of fruitful collaboration ment of diplomatic relations behalf of the panies from both countries. It supplying LNG to Japan. Over between Japan and Brunei. with Japan. In conjunction government of sets up guidelines on the taxa- 40 percent of Brunei’s total ex- BMC’s $450 million, 850,000 with the event, we organized His tion procedures on income such ports go to Japan mainly in en- tons per day methanol plant several activities such as busi- Paduka Seri as company profits, dividends ergy resources. In 2008 alone, is the first gas-based petro- ness matching between gov- Baginda and other types of income, Brunei exported 6.45 billion chemical plant in Brunei. ernment officials and private and Yang Di- which are generated through Bruneian dollars’ worth of The plant is currently being sectors alike from Brunei and Pertuan of Bru- numerous trades and business LNG, making Japan Brunei commissioned and on target Japan in the area of tourism nei Darussa- between the two countries. Darussalam’s main export for commercial operation on and investment. In addition, lam and the people of Brunei Japan continues to be Bru- market. April 1, 2010. we also held cultural perfor- Good ties: His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal of Brunei Darussalam meets Prime Minister Darussalam, our respectful nei’s biggest trading partner A methanol plant devel- The Brunei government has mances and participated in Yukio Hatoyama at the APEC summit in on Nov. 14. CABINET PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE greetings and best wishes to and one of its sources of foreign oped at the Sungai Liang In- constructed a $76 million several local exhibitions Their Imperial the direct investment (FDI). The dustrial Park (SPARK) by methanol export facility that throughout Japan. Emperor Akihito and the Em- is leased to BMC for the dura- Through the existing bilat- press Michiko, members of tion of its project. The metha- eral relations, I am also Economic relations help bring nations closer the Imperial Family, and to nol export facility comprises a pleased to note a significant the government and people of 13.8 km pipeline connecting increase in the number of in- Kozo Watanabe agreement have made bilateral important to promote human Japan. the methanol plant to a fixed teractions in various levels. CHAIRMAN, JAPAN-BRUNEI relations, mainly economic and cultural interactions further. Similarly the diplomatic floating buoy. It will transport There have been many ex- PARLIAMENTARIAN’S LEAGUE FOR THE exchanges, even closer. Japan, The Japanese government relations between Brunei Da- grade AA methanol from the change visits from both sides, PROMOTION OF FRIENDSHIP a country poor in energy is encouraging a ‘‘Visit Japan’’ russalam and Japan has also plant straight to the vessels. be it official, study tours or ------resources, relies on overseas campaign and various policies reached its 26th year. Another project is the Ten- training courses. His Majesty On the occasion of the 26th imports for most of its raw to induce more tourists — even Looking back, I am pleased to aga Suria Brunei, the first of the Sultan and Yang Di-Per- anniversary of the materials, such as crude oil, one more person — to come to note a number of significant its kind in Brunei and will be tuan of Brunei Darussalam independence of Brunei natural gas and iron ore. More our country. I expect more milestones achieved and that the largest in Southeast Asia. and other members of the roy- Darussalam, than 10 percent of the natural people from Brunei will visit our bilateral relations at all In August 2008, a Memoran- al family have visited Japan I would like to gas that is consumed in our Japan and discover its charms. levels have grown from dum of Understanding was quite a number of times in the convey on country is supplied by imports Also, I would like more and strength to strength. The bi- signed between Mitsubishi past years. Likewise, His Im- behalf of the from Brunei Darussalam. The more Japanese, not only lateral meeting between His Corp. and the Energy Divi- perial Highness the Crown Japan-Brunei circumstances surrounding businesspeople but also Majesty the Sultan and Yang sion of the Prime Minister’s Prince of Japan and Parliamentarian’s these energy resources, such ordinary people, to visit Brunei Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darus- Office of Brunei Darussalam. other Japanese royalties have League for the as the recent sudden changes in and establish friendly salam and His Excellency Under the MOU, both parties also visited Brunei. Promotion of the price of crude oil, remain relations. Yukio Hatoyama, prime min- have agreed to work together In conclusion, we also would Friendship my quite uneasy, which make us We the members of the ister of Japan, and the con- to carry out the large-scale like to acknowledge the com- heartfelt anxious about future costs and Japan-Brunei Parliamentarian’s ferment of a medal to His photovoltaic (PV) demon- mendable role played by the felicitations to Sultan Haji availability. I think that the League for the Promotion of Royal Highness Prince Mo- stration project known as the Japan-Brunei Parliamentari- Hassanal Bolkiah and the import of liquefied natural gas Friendship are resolved to make hamed Bolkiah, minister of Tenaga Suria Brunei (TSB). ans’ League, Japan-Brunei people of his state. from Brunei Darussalam counts every effort to further promote foreign affairs and trade, by The installation ceremony of Friendship Association and The relationship between greatly in terms of its continuous our friendship and develop our His Imperial Majesty Em- a PV system with a nominal Kyushu-Brunei Darussalam Japan and Brunei Darussalam, and stable supply, as well as the relationship. peror Akihito in 2009 further capacity output of approxi- Club in enhancing the rela- as seen in active official visits on amount imported. I would say Last but not least, I sincerely cemented these relations. mately 1,344 megawatts per tions. We hope that such col- trade and economic matters, that this is the fruit of efforts by would like to extend my best The Brunei Darussalam-Ja- year at the Seria Power Sta- laboration between both coun- has been very good. Especially the parties concerned in both wishes to Sultan Haji Hassanal pan Economic Partnership tion in Belait District was tries at all levels will be fur- in recent years, the conclusions countries. Bolkiah and the people of Brunei Agreement (BJEPA), which held earlier this year. The ther deepened and enhanced of the economic partnership While cherishing these Darussalam for their further came into force in 2008, is project is scheduled to begin on a mutually beneficial man- agreement and the tax economic relations, I think it is prosperity and development. Brunei Darussalam’s first bi- its operation this August with ner in the years to come. lateral economic agreement. The agreement further ele- vates the relationship to an- other height and symbolizes Brunei blessed with natural beauty the expansion in the economic and trade cooperation. Ulu Temburong National one of Asia’s best nature re- commodations within the park Under the agreement, sever- Park is located in the southern serves. The park’s locality consists of some seven guest al cooperation projects had part of the Temburong Dis- and steep, swampy terrain houses and three well- been and will continue to be un- trict. The national park offers have limited human impact equipped campsites. dertaken particularly on ca- an exciting array of ecotour- on the area and helped pre- The Kuala Belalong Field pacity building programs. ism and adventure activities. serve its rich biodiversity. Studies Center is located in the These cooperations could con- The park occupies approxi- Established forest trails Ulu Temburong National tribute toward Brunei’s effort mately 50,000 hectares of the through the park include 7 Park. A joint venture of Bru- in realizing one of its goals un- Batu Apoi Forest Reserve, one km of wooden walkways nei Shell Petroleum and Univ- der the national vision, or wa- of two forest reserves in Bru- which protect ground vegeta- ersiti Brunei Darussalam wasan 2035, with respect to cre- Energy: The Billionth Barrel Monument in nei Darussalam. tion and help prevent erosion. (UBD), the center was estab- ating an educated and highly memorializes the birthplace of the nation’s wealth. BRUNEI The Batu Apoi Forest Re- A canopy walkway provides lished as a training and re- skilled workforce in a world TOURISM DEPARTMENT serve encompasses 58 per- visitors with an opportunity search base for scientists, stu- cent of the total land area to observe the rain forest’s dents and government bodies that Brunei Darussalam has surprisingly diverse treetop to conduct studies on Brunei’s pledged under the ‘‘Heart of ecosystems. lowland tropical forests. Borneo’’ initiative, which In addition, a series of tree The center provides field re- was endorsed in January 2007 houses some 20 meters above search facilities made upo fa by the leaders of three Bor- ground and linked by hanging complex of seven timber hous- neo governments: Brunei bridges provides excellent es linked by walkways situat- Darussalam, and points of observation. The ed at the river’s edge. It also . Ulu Temburong park is accessible by temuai, offers accommodations and National Park is considered or longboat, and visitor ac- dining facilities for up to 35 people, a laboratory and a meeting hall. For overnight visits, applications can be made through UBD. The journey to the center will take up to 21/2 hours of pushing and pulling a longboat over a series of 23 upriver rap- ids. But, aside from the sheer beauty of the site, its impor- tance can be distilled from the experience of just one ento- mologist who found over 400 species of beetles on a single Canopy walk: Visitors enjoy the rain forest’s surprisingly tree in this area. diverse treetop ecosystems. BRUNEI TOURISM DEPARTMENT

The Japan Times PUBDATE: 2/23/20010 PAGE: 6 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 16:13:41

2/23/1910 / / PT JTE/PG 6/ED 1 (3) THE JAPAN TIMES TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010 7 Brunei Darussalam national day/world

Japan-Brunei Friendship IN BRIEF continues to bloom ------Stronger hurricanes on horizon Yanukovych eyes new coalition Consensus analysis Kunio Anzai to act as a bridge between the Kiev REUTERS CHAIRMAN, JAPAN-BRUNEI FRIENDSHIP two cultures through continuing Ukrainian President-elect Viktor Yanukovych on Sunday shows warming linked ASSOCIATION interaction, thus deepening the named three candidates for prime minister and said he ------bonds of friendship between our expected a coalition to be formed soon to replace the to more violent storms On behalf of the Japan-Brunei two nations further in the future. government of Yulia Tymoshenko. Friendship Association (JBFA) Negara Brunei Darussalam Yanukovych’s Regions Party needs to forge a new coalition in Washington I would like to (‘‘The Country of Brunei Parliament to replace Tymoshenko as prime minister, and the AP extend my Darussalam, Abode of Peace’’) nominee is key for the party to gain support from others. This ------sincere is a state situated on may be why two of the candidates do not come from Regions’ Top researchers now agree congratulations the northern shores of Borneo ranks. that the world is likely to get to His Majesty blessed with abundant natural Yanukovych named businessman Sergey Tigipko and former stronger but fewer hurri- Sultan Haji resources, including oil and Foreign Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, as well as a member of his canes in the future because of Hassanal natural gas. As the name own party, former Finance Minister Mykola Azarov, as the global warming, seeming to Bolkiah of suggests, it is a peaceful and most likely candidates. settle a scientific debate on Brunei tranquil nation with a genuinely Tigipko, 50, and Yatsenyuk, 35, have presented themselves as the subject. Darussalam, the government friendly and hospitable pragmatists who would be able to undertake tough reforms as But they say there is not and people of the sultanate on population grounded in noble reels from a deep economic crisis. Russian-born enough evidence yet to tell the occasion of their 26th Islamic traditions. Brunei scores Azarov, 63, leans more toward Moscow and traditional state whether that effect has al- National Day. highly also in areas like social regulation. ready begun. Brunei is a key supplier of stability, health care and As president, Yanukovych has no formal part in creating a Since just before Hurricane energy resources to Japan and I education, and has one of the coalition, but his party will be in talks with other factions in Katrina hit Louisiana and Mis- would like to take this lowest crime rates in the world, Parliament to decide on a program and new prime minister. sissippi in 2005, dueling scien- opportunity to express my making it an attractive tific papers have clashed gratitude to everyone involved in destination for the foreign visitor. about whether global warm- this important endeavor for their Brunei offers a richly diverse Shuttle makes nighttime landing ing is worsening hurricanes steady and continual support. cultural heritage, architectural Cape Canaveral Fla. AP and will do so in the future. Last year saw various special marvels, first-class amenities Space shuttle Endeavour and its six astronauts landed at The new study seems to split events such as the 25th and recreational facilities. Yet in Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Sunday night, wrapping the difference. anniversary of the establishment spite of a well-developed and up a successful two-week mission. This was the 23rd space A special World Meteoro- of diplomatic relations between efficient infrastructure, with shuttle landing in darkness, out of 130 flights. The last time was logical Organization panel Japan and the sultanate. It gives good-quality roads and facilities in 2008 — by Endeavour. that was composed of 10 ex- me great pleasure to note that that make it easy to navigate the During their mission to the International Space Station — perts in both hurricanes and After the storm: A man pushes his bicycle through floodwaters near the Superdome in New Dato Paduka Haji Adnan Buntar, country, as much as 70 percent which spanned two weeks and 9.1 million km — the astronauts climate change — including Orleans after Hurricane Katrina left much of the city under water in August 2005. AP former ambassador of Brunei of its territory is still covered by delivered and installed a new space station room and a big bay leading scientists from both Darussalam to Japan, was unspoiled tropical rain forest, a window with sweeping views of the Earth. The new room, sides — came up with a con- percent and 34 percent fewer study he coauthored last a researcher with NOAA who awarded an honorary doctoral living tribute to the nation’s Tranquillity, will serve as a base for life-support equipment, as sensus analysis, which was storms in number. month that looked at just the had no role in the study. degree by Kagawa University in continuing dedication to well as a gym and restroom. It also holds the seven-windowed published online Sunday in Essentially, there would be Atlantic hurricane basin and James Lee Witt, former di- October and that His Royal ecological preservation and dome, quite possibly the most anticipated addition ever made to the journal Nature Geosci- fewer weak and moderate predicted that global warming rector of the Federal Emer- Highness Prince Mohamed sustainable development. a spacecraft. The two new compartments were supplied by the ence. storms and more of the big would trigger a 28 percent in- gency Management Agency, Bolkiah, minister of foreign I sincerely hope to see an European Space Agency at a cost of more than $400 million. ‘‘We’ve really come a long damaging ones, which also crease in damage near the said the study ‘‘should be a affairs and trade of Brunei increase in the number of Their addition brought the 11-year-old space station to 98 way in the last two years about are projected to be stronger U.S. despite fewer storms. stern and stark warning that Darussalam, was presented Japanese people visiting and percent completion. our knowledge of the hurri- due to warming. That study suggests Catego- America needs to be better with the Grand Cordon of the exploring this fascinating country All that is left now are four shuttle flights to stock the space cane and climate issue,’’ said An 11 percent increase in ry 4 and 5 Atlantic hurricanes prepared and protected from Order of the Rising Sun by His in the future. To coincide with the station with more experiments, spare parts and supplies. study coauthor Chris Land- wind speed translates to — those with winds more than the devastation that these Majesty the Emperor Akihito in celebration of the 25th Discovery will make the next trip in early April. sea, a top hurricane research- roughly a 60 percent increase 209 kph — would nearly double kinds of hurricanes produce.’’ November. anniversary of diplomatic er for the National Oceanic in damage, said study coau- by the end of the century. On The issue of hurricanes and Every year the Japan-Brunei relations between Japan and and Atmospheric Administra- thor Kerry Emanuel, a profes- average, a Category 4 or global warming splashed onto Friendship Association invites a Brunei, JBFA has just published Niger junta pledges new constitution tion (NOAA). sor of meteorology at the Mas- stronger hurricane hits the front pages in the summer of number of Bruneian students to ‘‘Brunei Darussalam,’’ a Niamey AFP-JIJI The technical term for these sachusetts Institute of Tech- United States about once ev- 2005 when MIT’s Emanuel Japan to lay the foundation for commemorative collection of The leaders of a coup that seized power in Niger promised storms are tropical cyclones; nology. ery seven years, mostly in published a paper in Nature cultural exchanges with their photographs offering a glimpse Sunday a return to democracy and a new constitution, amid in the Atlantic they are called The storms also would car- Florida or Texas. Recent Cat- saying hurricane destruction Japanese counterparts. Last of the lives and colorful traditions popular support for the overthrow of longtime strongman hurricanes, and elsewhere ry more rain, another indica- egory 4 or 5 storms include has increased since the mid- December, participants from the of the Bruneian people. Copies Mamadou Tandja. they are called typhoons. tor of damage, said lead au- 2004’s Charley and 1992’s An- 1970s because of global warm- University of Brunei Darussalam of the book will be distributed to The junta that ousted President Mamadou Tandja and The study offers projections thor Tom Knutson, a research drew, but not Katrina which ing, adding it would only get were invited to visit Tokyo a number of Japanese members of his government in Thursday’s coup also pledged to for tropical cyclones world- meteorologist at NOAA. made landfall as a strong Cat- worse. Electric Higashi-Ohgishima universities and local public fully involve political parties and civil society in talks to set up wide by the end of this centu- Knutson said the new study, egory 3. Several weeks later, Hurri- Thermal Power Station (LNG entities. the new constitution, said Mohamed Ibn Chambas, head of the ry, and some experts said the which looks at worldwide pro- Outside experts praised the cane Katrina struck, killing Terminal) and Tokyo Gas Our two nations have 15-nation regional Economic Community of West African bad news outweighs the good. jections, doesn’t make clear work. 1,500 people and the 2005 hurri- Negishi LNG Terminal, two enjoyed a strong and States. Overall strength of storms as whether global warming will The study does a good job of cane season was the busiest on points of delivery for liquefied enduring friendship for many ‘‘We have discussed with the members of the junta how the measured in wind speed would lead to more or less hurricane summarizing the current un- record with 28 named storms natural gas from Brunei. Also years. JBFA remains country can get back to normalized constitutional life as quickly rise by 2 percent to 11 percent, damage on balance. derstanding of storms and and seven major hurricanes. offered were a tour of the JR committed to the deepening of as possible,’’ Chambas said. ‘‘They have given us the necessary but there would be between 6 However, he pointed toa warming, said Chunzai Wang, But then other scientists led by East Shinkansen General that friendship and will guarantees and all this will be done with the participation of civil Landsea disputed the conclu- Rolling Stock Center, a seminar continue to promote further society and the political parties. Dialogue will be opened with all sions that storms were al- that enabled them to interact and people-to-people exchanges the vital forces of the nation which will end in the drawing up of a Study ties El Nino to Indian Ocean climate patterns ready increasing in number or hold discussions with their through various activities. new constitution and a period of transition.’’ intensity. counterparts from Tohoku In conclusion, I would like Hong Kong the floods, droughts and other al causal factor, which is that Now Landsea and Emanuel Gakuin University and a brief to extend my sincere and REUTERS forms of severe weather it cre- of warm water volume re- are coauthors on the same pa- homestay with Japanese cordial wishes to His Majesty U.K. rig to start drilling off Falklands ------ates. charge, there is the IOD which per with Knutson. families in Sendai. I am the Sultan and the people of London AFP-JIJI Tracking Indian Ocean cli- Developing countries heavi- is a very important causal fac- In 2007, the authoritative In- confident that activities such as Brunei Darussalam for their A British oil rig was to start drilling off the Falkland Islands on mate patterns could improve ly dependent on agriculture tor for El Nino development,’’ tergovernmental Panel on Cli- these, even if they are modest, continued and further Monday, a move likely to ratchet up tensions with Argentina which early warning systems for the and fishing are badly affected, he added. mate Change said it was will encourage our young people prosperity. claims the disputed archipelago, the British Broadcasting Corp. El Nino phenomenon, helping though the 1997-98 El Nino cost Accurate and early predic- ‘‘more likely than not’’ that reported, citing the oil company operating the rig. save lives and billions of dol- the United States an estimated tion of the El Nino can help man-made greenhouse gases The platform has been towed to 100 km north of the islands and lars lost each year to the se- $25 billion according to the better mitigate the destruc- had already altered storm ac- drilling was to start at 3 a.m., said the broadcaster. vere weather it causes. U.S. National Oceanic and At- tion caused by the phenome- tivity, but the authors of the There are an estimated 60 billion barrels of oil in the In a paper published in Na- mospheric Administration. non. new paper said more recent Falklands but a spokesman for Desire Petroleum, which is ture Geoscience, researchers Izumo and his colleagues ‘‘Because of the overwhelm- evidence muddies the issue. carrying out the drilling, said the amount that could be used in Japan and said their found that the Indian Ocean ing consequences of El Nino on ‘‘The evidence is not strong commercially would likely be much less than that. new forecast model could pre- Dipole (IOD), the equivalent global weather, ecosystems, enough that we could make Argentina lost a short but bloody war to Britain over the South dict an El Nino 14 months of an El Nino in the Indian and its strong socioeconomic some kind of statement’’ along Atlantic archipelago in 1982, which cost around 1,000 lives. ahead of time, several months Ocean, had a role in causing and ecological consequences, those lines, Knutson said. It Buenos Aires is furious that the British are about to begin oil earlier than current methods. the phenomenon. El Nino forecasting is impor- doesn’t mean the IPCC report drilling operations in the potentially rich seabed around the ‘‘It is important because . . . ‘‘IOD strongly influences tant for disaster prevention was wrong; it was just based archipelago. this helps to improve El Nino the triggering of El Nino (the and impact management, and on science done by 2006 and re- Argentina escalated the dispute last week by ordering all forecasts. It can save a lot of following year). In this study, helps to reduce El Nino-relat- cent research has changed a ships heading to the Falklands through its waters to first seek money for agriculture,’’ lead we did a simple forecast mod- ed losses,’’ Izumo said. bit, said Knutson and the other permission from Buenos Aires before appealing to other researcher Takeshi Izumo at el, we included the IOD index During the 1997 El Nino, one researchers. regional powers to follow suit. the Research Institute for and we can have a very good of the strongest recorded, In- Lately, the IPCC series of Argentina won backing from Venezuelan President Hugo Global Change in Yokohama forecast for the El Nino in the donesia suffered a large num- reports on warming has been Chavez on Sunday, who urged Britain to give up the Falklands said by telephone. next year,’’ Izumo said. ber of fires, partly caused by criticized for errors. Emanuel and said ‘‘the time for empires is over.’’ The El Nino phenomenon is ‘‘In a way, we found a miss- drought, he said. Better fore- said the international climate Landmark: The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, built in Desire Petroleum insisted on Monday their interest was a climate pattern that occurs ing piece of the puzzle for trig- casting could have helped re- panel gave ‘‘an accurate sum- 1958, dominates the skyline of Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri purely in oil and sought to distance themselves from the growing periodically over the Pacific gering an El Nino. We showed duce the number of blazes mary of science that existed at Begawan. BRUNEI TOURISM DEPARTMENT tussle between London and Buenos Aires. Ocean and is well known for here that in addition to the usu- through prevention measures. that point.’’ ‘Hurt Locker’ blows away ‘Avatar’ at BAFTAs

London Cameron was in the audi- picked up the best original Quentin Tarantino’s riotous REUTERS, AFP-JIJI ence, and ‘‘Avatar’’ won just screenplay award. ‘‘Inglourious Basterds.’’ ------two awards: production de- The BAFTAs tend to lean to- Tarantino was among the Iraq war drama ‘‘The Hurt sign and special visual effects. ward British talent more than stars who turned up for the Locker’’ swept 3-D blockbust- Bigelow played down talk of the Oscars, and they are a far- awards, and also on the red er ‘‘Avatar’’ aside at the BAF- rivalry between the former from-perfect barometer of carpet were Kate Winslet, TA British film awards Sun- spouses. ‘‘It’s been a real hon- what happens at the Academy ‘‘Twilight’’ costars Kristen day, picking up best film and or,’’ she said. ‘‘Specifically Awards. Stewart and Robert Pattinson best director among its six with Jim, we’re very good But the scale of the success and Prince William, second in prizes and laying down a friends. I think we’re proud of of ‘‘The Hurt Locker’’ will be line to the British throne. marker for the Oscars. each other, and I think that’s noted by the industry as well Stewart won the Orange The movies, directed by there for a long time.’’ as the media, which have built Rising Star prize decided by Kathryn Bigelow and ex-hus- ‘‘The Hurt Locker,’’ whose both the BAFTAs and Oscars the British public unlike the band James Cameron, respec- budget was dwarfed by that of into a Bigelow-versus-Camer- other awards, and prison thril- tively, were both nominated ‘‘Avatar,’’ as was its box office on duel. ler ‘‘A Prophet’’ topped the for- for eight awards at the BAF- takings, follows a bomb-dis- Colin Firth (‘‘A Single eign film category. TAs, and also lead the field posal unit in Iraq, and cap- Man’’) and Carey Mulligan The prince was named the heading into next month’s tures the tension and danger (‘‘An Education’’) made it a new BAFTA president, taking Academy Awards with nine as they seek to defuse bombs home double in the main act- over from British director nominations apiece. in cars, under dirt and ing categories. Richard Attenborough. Bigelow became the first strapped to innocent civilians. The Oscar-nominated 24- British actress Vanessa woman to win the best director ‘‘I think we all sensed an year-old has blossomed into Redgrave accepted an Acade- BAFTA, and said she hoped amazing responsibility to hon- one of Hollywood’s most my Fellowship in honor of a ca- she would not be the last. or the people in the film and sought-after actresses despite reer spanning six decades and ‘‘Women’s struggle for equi- honor a scriptwriter who being rejected by three drama followed in the footsteps of the ty is a constant struggle, so if risked his life to capture the schools. likes of Charlie Chaplin, Alfred this can be a beacon of light, tragedy and chaos of war,’’ Bi- Best supporting actress Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg then wonderful,’’ she told re- gelow said. ‘‘I would like to went to Mo’Nique for the gritty and Elizabeth Taylor. The fel- ‘‘Hurt’’ is so good: American director Kathryn Bigelow poses porters backstage after re- dedicate this to never aban- U.S. production ‘‘Precious’’ lowship is the highest accolade with actor and BAFTA award presenter Clive Owen after she ceiving her BAFTA in the gild- doning the need to find a reso- and Christoph Waltz won the from the British Academy of won her award from the British Academy of Film and ed splendor of London’s Royal lution for peace.’’ best supporting actor prize for Film and Television Arts for Television Arts for best director for ‘‘The Hurt Locker’’ at the Opera House. Scriptwriter Mark Boal also his chilling turn as a Nazi in contribution to film. Royal Opera House in central London on Sunday. AFP-JIJI

The Japan Times PUBDATE: 2/23/20010 PAGE: 7 C M Y K OUTPUT TIME: 18:46:30

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